A new school looks set to be built in Cheltenham to meet rising levels of demand for primary and secondary places, it has been announced.

The new school will serve the town and surrounding areas in a project thought to be worth about £30million.

Plans are afoot to build the all-through school for primary and secondary pupils aged four to 16 by September 2020.

Sponsors are being sought to open the 'free school' which would provide six forms of entry for secondary pupils and two forms for primary as the town expands through a number of major housing developments.

Headteachers and parents have welcomed the plan which they say will make high quality education more accessible for Cheltenham families.

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Councillor Paul McLain, Gloucestershire County Council's cabinet member for children and young people (C, Battledown and Charlton Kings), said: "The council has a good track record for planning school places and we now know we need more places in Cheltenham, ideally by 2020.

"Our preferred route is a Government-funded free school and the first step on this path would be to find a sponsor.

"No site has been found and we're asking for suggestions from landowners for suitable sites that could be considered."

The council is now seeking expressions of interest from potential sponsors from across the country who could build and open a new school.

Bids to sponsor the new school are open until late spring and will be sent to the Department for Education.

It is hoped the chosen sponsor, which will be chosen by the Education Funding Agency, will be in place this year.

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Allan Foulds, headteacher at Bournside, said options should be kept open on ways to meet the increased demand.

Allan Foulds

He said: "It's important we continue to offer excellent education to people in their communities.

"Parents want to send their children to a high-quality school which is nearby and in their community."

Major developments on the horizon for Cheltenham include the £1billion project to build 4,115 homes near Uckington.

Cheltenham will also get a share of the 35,000 new houses which will be built in Gloucestershire over the next 15 years as part of the Joint Core Strategy, which is being put together by Cheltenham Borough Council, Gloucester City Council and Tewkesbury Borough Council.

Parents in Cheltenham have welcomed the extra choice the new school would bring.

Mother-of-two Emily Campbell, who lives in Allstone Lane, said: "Certainly the idea of a new school is very positive. Cheltenham desperately needs one.

"Hopefully having more schools centrally will mean pupils get allocated schools closer to home."

Father of three Mark Halliwell added: "Cheltenham does need a new secondary school. It will give more choice and with all these new housing developments being built there's pressure on existing schools which is only going to get worse as time goes on."